On this day in 1588 – Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester died

On 4^th September 1588 Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester died, aged 56 not long after the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Dudley’s health had been deteriorating for some time with complaints of stomach pains. At the end of August 1588 Dudley set off to Buxton, Derbyshire to take in the water, the spa water in the baths were believed to have healing powers.

As Dudley was travelling to Buxton he stopped at a house at Rycote near Reading, a place he had visited previously with Queen Elizabeth, who he had a close relationship with throughout his life. It was here he wrote his final letter to his treasured Queen. Dudley wrote;

“I most humbly beseech your Majesty to pardon your poor old servant to be thus bold in sending to know how my gracious lady doth, and what ease of her late pains she finds, being the chiefest thing in this world I do pray for, for her to have good health and long life. For my own poor case, I continue still your medicine and find that amends much better than with any other thing that hath been given me. Thus hoping to find perfect cure at the bath, with the continuance of my wonted prayer for your Majesty’s most happy preservation, I humbly kiss your foot. From your old lodging at Rycote, this morning, ready to take on my Journey, by your Majesty’s most faithful and obedient servant,

1. Leicester

Even as I had writ thus much, I received Your Majesty’s token by Young Tracey.”

After writing this letter Leicester continued his journey to Buxton stopping at Combury Park near Woodstock, Oxfordshire where his health failed even further when at 4pm on the 4^th September he passed away. He was buried in the Beauchamp Chapel of the Collegiate Church of St. Mary’s, Warwick.

Queen Elizabeth was devastated at the loss of her ‘Sweet Robin’. An informer of the Spanish Ambassador reported that Elizabeth was so upset with grief that she locked herself in her chamber with no servants and refused to speak to anybody. It took the force of her council to break down her down and enter. Elizabeth kept Dudley’s final letter and when she died it was found kept in a box next to her bed with the inscription ‘His Last Letter’.

Robert Dudley’s last letter to Queen Elizabeth

On this day in 1592 – The playwright Robert Greene died

Robert Greene was baptised on 11^th July 1558 at St George’s, Tombland, Norwich and attended Cambridge where he received a BA in 1580 and an M.A. in 1583 before he moved to London. There are no records of Greene ever participating in any dramatic productions during his education.

Not much is known about Greene’s youth but it is believed his works contained autobiographical remarks included a reputed journey to Italy and France. However, after a modern computer analysis of vocabulary of The Repentance it was suggested that The Repentance of Robert Greene was not actually written by Robert Greene.

According to Newcomb about Greene works he wrote;

“Greene’s work evince an inexhaustible linguistic facility, grounded in wide reading in the classics, and extra-curricular reading in the modern continental languages.”

Greene wrote between 1583 and 1592 during which time he published 25 pieces of work in prose. His literary career began with the publication of a romance called, Mamillia. Greene’s romance pieces included short poems and songs. Some of his later work told stories of gentlemen and citizens being duped out of their money by rascals. The stories were told from the point of view of the rascal who has since repented.

Some of Greene’s work was unpublished during his life including ‘The Scottish History of James IV’ and ‘Alphonsus’

Greene is probably most remembered for his pamphlet ‘Greene’s Groats-Worth of Wit’ in which he takes a swipe at William Shakespeare by writing;

“…for there is an upstart Crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tygers hart wrapt in a Players hyde, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blanke verse as the best of you: and being an absolute Johannes fac totum, is in his owne conceit the onely Shake-scene in a countrey.”

Greene implied that Shakespeare stole other people’s ideas and that he complains about an actor who believed that he could write as well as if not better than those that had received an education at university. The term ‘Shakes-scene’ had never been used before this pamphlet and it gave a thinly disguised reference as to who he was talking about. However, Jay Hoster put forward the argument that Greene was in fact talking about Edward Alleyn, an actor who married Philip Henslowe’s step daughter and entered into a partnership with Henslowe.

Greene died on 3^rd September 1592 his death and burial were announced by Gabriel Harvey in a letter to Christopher Bird on 5^th September, it was first published as a butterfly pamphlet and then three days later it was expanded as Four Letters and Certain Sonnets before it entered the Stationers’ Register on 4^th December. It is claimed that Greene was buried in a new churchyard near Bedlam on 4^th September although no record of this exists.

The title page of Greene’s Groats-worth of wit

On this day in 1534 – Gerald FitzGerald 9th Earl of Kildare died

Gerald FitzGerald was born in 1487 in Maynooth, County Kildare; he was the son of Gerald FitzGerald, 8^th Earl of Kildare and his wife Alison FitzEustace.

FitzGerald’s father was the Lord Deputy of Ireland during the reign of King Edward IV and remained in the position after Henry Tudor won the Battle of Bosworth and took the throne, however, FitzGerald Snr disobeyed the Tudor King on several occasions most notably by supporting the pretender to the throne Lambert Simnel.

In 1502 the younger FitzGerald played a principle role in the funeral of Prince Arthur Tudor who had died at Ludlow Castle and was buried at Worcester Cathedral.

In 1503 FitzGerald had already married Elizabeth Zouche, cousin to King Henry VII and he was given permission to return to Ireland with his father. The following year, in 1504, he was appointed to Lord High Treasurer of Ireland, in August of that year FitzGerald commanded the reserve at the Battle of Knockdoe where his inexperience and impulsive nature caused them a loss. FitzGerald’s father died in 1513 and FitzGerald became the 9^th Earl of Kildare and at the same time selected to be the Lord Justice of Ireland. FitzGerald’s brother in law King Henry VIII also promoted him to his late father’s position of Lord Deputy.

FitzGerald defended Ireland and he did such a great job in 1513, after having defeated O’More and killing O’Reilly, a rebel, King Henry VIII granted FitzGerald the custom of the ports in the County of Down. In 1515 FitzGerald invaded Imayle in the Wicklow Mountains and killed Shane O’Toole, whose head he sent to the Lord Mayor of Dublin. FitzGerald went on to march into Ely O’Carroll where he, along with the Earl of Ormond and the son of the Earl of Desmond, captured Lemyvannan castle.

In March 1517 FitzGerald called a parliament in Dublin from which he went and invaded Ulster, stormed Dundrum Castle then marched toward Tyrone before taking the Castle of Dungannon. In 1518 he was accused of maladministration in order to clear his name he appointed a deputy in his place and he set sail for England. Upon arrival he was removed from the government and in his place Thomas Howard, 2^nd Duke of Norfolk was appointed as his replacement. FitzGerald remained in England and in 1520 he is recorded as being present with King Henry VIII at the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

It was at the Field of the Cloth of Gold that FitzGerald met the King’s first cousin, Lady Elizabeth Grey, a few months later they married. His time in Ireland was far from over though in 1523 King Henry permitted him to return after rumours came out of the country that he was attempting to stir up trouble for the new Lord Deputy, following inquires the King decided that there was no evidence to convict FitzGerald. At the same time he founded the College of Maynooth.

Upon his arrival back in Ireland FitzGerald instantly set off on an expedition to Leix but they ran into difficulty and soon retreated to Dublin. FitzGerald and the Earl of Kildare and Ormond, the current Lord Deputy, argued and accused each other of treason therefore the only thing they could do was to appeal to the King to settle it. Henry VIII ordered the two that they should abstain from making war without his permission, that they should cease levying coigne and livery within the four shires of Meath, Urgell, Dublin and Kildare. The pair were also ordered that their kinsmen submitted to the law and finally that they were bound by a bond of 1,000 marks to keep the peace for one year.

The peace between the two men did not last for long, James Talbot one of the Earl of Ormond’s followers was murdered by the retainers of FitzGerald. Again an appeal was sent to the King who sent commissioners to Ireland. An inquiry was held at Christ Church, Dublin in June 1524, the inquiry found in favour of FitzGerald and an indenture was drawn up ordering the two to forgive each other and become friends.

Soon after the inquiry FitzGerald was reappointed as Lord Deputy and took the oath of the position at St Thomas Court with his nephew Con Bacagh O’Neill carrying the sword of state walking before him. He agreed that he would not grant any pardons without the consent of the council in England. He was also required that his men dressed in the English fashion and shaved their upper beards.

In 1525 FitzGerald and Ormond was once again fighting over the amount of £800 as before they were accusing each other. At the same time Ormond was required by royal mandate to assemble an army to march and arrest the Earl of Desmond before moving north to make peace with the O’Neills and O’Donnells.

In 1526 FitzGerald was summoned to England to face the charges that Ormond had accused him of. Ormond now held the title of Earl of Ossory and accused FitzGerald of secretly assisting the Desmonds and murdered many subjects in Ireland due to their association with the Ormond and Butler family. When FitzGerald arrived in London he was sent to the Tower of London and was kept in England for four years when he was eventually brought in front of a council where a violent altercation broke out between himself and Cardinal Wolsey. Holinshed reported that Wolsey obtained an order for FitzGerald’s execution but instead he was granted bail and in 1530 he was one of the peers who signed the letter to the Pope regarding the King’s divorce with Katherine of Aragon.

In 1530 after signing the letter to the Pope FitzGerald was once again permitted to return to Ireland with Skeffington, the new Lord Deputy. After a march again the O’Tooles and then against the O’Donnells FitzGerald and Ormond were once again writing to the King to accuse each other. With the Deputy supported by the Butlers, FitzGerald was able to clear himself and was appointed to succeed Skeffington as Lord Deputy under the Duke of Richmond who had been granted the office of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. FitzGerald landed back in Ireland to great acclaim however, it did not last and it was eventually realised that peace in Ireland could never be achieved if FitzGerald or Ormond held the office of the Lord Deputy.

FitzGerald received a gunshot wound during a battle with the O’Carrolls at Birr and as a result partially lost the use of his limbs and speech. In February 1534 FitzGerald was once again summoned to court at Drogheda where he nominated his son, Thomas, as Vice Deputy before he set off to England. Upon arriving in England he was again sent to the Tower of London, where on the 2^nd September 1534 he died, with the official cause being from grief after hearing of his son’s rebellion. He is buried in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula within the grounds of the Tower of London.

Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare

On this day in 1532 – Anne Boleyn was created the Marquess of Pembroke

In 1532 King Henry VIII was planning a trip to France to meet with the French King, he wanted to take Anne Boleyn with him as his Queen, however, they were not yet married and she as she was not a peer of the realm she would not be recognised in France so Henry decided to create Anne the Marquess of Pembroke.

The Earl of Pembroke title had been extinct since the death of Henry’s great uncle, Jasper Tudor, it also signified the birthplace of his father King Henry VII therefore the title was held in high regard to Henry and he could bestow no greater title on her until they were married.

On 1^st September 1532 Henry VIII held the ceremony to grant Anne with the title and land in Wales worth over £1000. The ceremony was held by Henry VIII in Windsor Castle, it witnessed by many of Henry’s peers and clergy including; Anne’s father and uncle, Thomas Boleyn and Thomas Howard as well as Charles Brandon, Edward Lee the Archbishop of York, John Stokesley the Bishop of London and Stephen Gardiner the Bishop of Winchester. Also present was the French ambassador.

Anne was accompanied by Mary Howard, her cousin, the Countess of Derby and Countess of Rutland and they were led into the ceremony by the Garter King-at-arms. Anne wore ermine trimmed velvet and many jewels and let her hair flow freely behind her, as was common for coronations. There was no doubt that Henry wanted everybody to know that he intended to make Anne his wife and Queen.

Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, read out the patent of creation to the crowd whilst Anne knelt before the King who invested her with the coronet, robe of estate and charters of creation and of the lands. In the ‘Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII’ there is a record of the ceremony which states;

“’Creacion of lady Anne, doughter to therle of Wilteshier, marquesse of Penbroke.’

Sunday 1 Sept. 1532, 24 Hen. VIII. The lady was conveyed by noblemen and the officers of arms at Windsor Castle to the King, who was accompanied by the dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk and other noblemen, and the ambassador of France. Mr. Garter bore her patent of creation; and lady Mary, daughter to the duke of Norfolk, her mantle of crimson velvet, furred with ermines, and a coronet. The lady Marques, who was “in her hair,” and dressed in a surcoat of crimson velvet, furred with ermines, and strait sleeves, was led by Elizabeth countess of Rutland, and Dorothy countess of Sussex. While she kneeled before the King, Garter delivered her patent, which was read by the bishop of Winchester. The King invested her with the mantle and coronet, and gave her two patents, one of her creation, the other of 1,000l. a year. She thanked the King, and returned to her chamber.

Gifts given by the lady Marques:- To Mr. Garter, for her apparel, 8l.; to the Office of Arms, 11l. 13s. 4d. The King gave them 5l.

Officers of Arms present – Garter and Clarenciex, kings; Richmond, Carlisle, and Windsor, heralds; Rougecross, Portcullis, Bluemantle and Guisnes, pursuivants.”

There is also recorded a valuation of the lands that were bestowed upon Anne;

“Valuation of her lands.

Total of the lands of the lady Anne marchioness in Wales, over and above casualties not charged, 710l. 7s. 10¾d., out of which she is charged to pay by the King’s grants yearly, 199l. 5s. 11d., ‘which the tallage or knowledge of money will discharge for the time; and after that, the fines for the sessions and the customes which be not charged in the value will discharge them.’

Sum of the lands in England: Corry Mallett, Soms., Hundesdon, and Estwyke, Herts, ‘lands late Philip Pary’s, in Hundesdon,’ manors of Stansted, Roydon, Fylollyshall, and Cokkeshall, and Weston next Baldoke, 313l. 5s. 3¾d. Total for England and Wales by the last gift of the King, 1,023l. 13s. 2¾d.”

The title was also granted to any male heirs, either legitimate or illegitimate, that Anne may have. The title of Marquess of Pembroke ceased to exist either upon Anne’s marriage to Henry or upon her death in 1536, it is unknown for definite when she stopped calling herself that.

Anne Boleyn